Coaches tab Lady Vols tops in SEC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – League coaches predict the Tennessee Lady Vol basketball team to win the 2011 Southeastern Conference championship, the SEC office announced on Thursday.

Tennessee returns an intact squad after going 32-3 and winning both the 2010 SEC regular season and tournament championships last year. The Lady Vols received 121 points, while Kentucky followed with 108. Rounding out the league order of finish were: LSU (93), Georgia (88), Vanderbilt (88), Auburn (59), South Carolina (48), Alabama (43), Ole Miss (42), Florida (39), Arkansas (35) and Mississippi State (28).

“I see an improved and committed team,” Lady Vol head coach Pat Summitt said. “They’re very invested. There’s no doubt – they want to be in Indianapolis for the Final Four. Shekinna and Angie have shown tremendous leadership. They’re older, they’re more invested and they’re more confident. I have high expectations this season.”

Kentucky senior forward Victoria Dunlap was named SEC Women's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year by the coaches. Joining Bjorklund, Stricklen and Dunlap on the All-SEC First Team were Kentucky’s A’dia Mathies, Auburn’s Alli Smalley, Georgia’s Porsha Phillips, LSU’s LaSondra Barrett and Vanderbilt’s Jence Rhoads.

Points were compiled on an 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for order of prediction, while each player received two points for a first-team vote and one point for a second-team vote. Ties were not broken and coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or players.

The Lady Vols were also picked to win the 2011 league crown by the media, which also selected Bjorklund and Stricklen for its preseason First Team, and Cain for its Second Team.

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